The Indian chemical industry has grown 13-14% annually in the last 5
years (2007-2012). The encouraging growth of chemical industry also
brings concerning hazardous incidents and worker safety into sharp
focus. Lack of safety measures along with a limited knowledge of
potential hazards of chemicals often leads to several dangerous
Incidents and fatalities in the industry.

Aditya Birla Chemicals has tremendous focus on providing a safe
working environment to its workforce and consistent focus on reducing
the number of accidents, injuries and illnesses. However,
manufacturing operations, material handling and logistics posed
numerous safety challenges to the company in improving safety and
taking it to a world-class level. For example, the company's rayon
unit at Veraval, Gujarat, was facing constant challenge of recurrent
bursting of spinning pots for which no readymade solution was
available in the market. Similarly, worker safety at Rehla site in
Jharkhand was another area of concern primarily because of traditional
operating methods and poor awareness about safety risks among local
contractor workers.

With a belief in "Good Safety=Good Business”, the leadership
decided to make a step change in its safety performance across all
operations including design, manufacturing operations and
distribution. Leadership at the group asked DuPont Sustainable
Solutions (DSS) to assist the organization in moving towards
world-class safety performance and making safety a part of integrated
operations. Four Indian sites of the business started their journey of
safety excellence with DuPont in the beginning of 2012.The journey
started with Work Place Safety (WPS), wherein at-risk behaviours were
addressed. This was further extended to include Process Safety
Management (PSM).

"Safety is more than just a matter of compliance. We want it to
be sustainably and intrinsically driven, as a part of our normal
day-to-day operations”.

Mr. Lalit Naik, Business Head, Aditya Biria Chemicals & MDABNL

Solution

The journey towards 'Shunya'

With the initial assessment completed, DSS and Aditya Birla
Clericals decided the primary goals of the engagement, which were:

Reduce injuries and incidents and ultimately bring injuries
to 'Shunya'

Involve and engage senior leadership to drive
safety culture and make it a proactive commitment

Ensure
that safety is integrated into line management responsibilities

Define metrics and establish an annual progress review of
safety cultural transformation in the company

Developing a roadmap for world-class safety

Aditya Birla Chemicals, with support from DuPont, developed and
implemented a safety management system, focused around operations
environment. This included:

Setting up of corporate objectives: Aditya Birla Chemicals
Business leadership team finalized a set of seven safety principles
as foundation stone for all their activities. Annual improvement
goals were identified and tracked at corporate level by a steering
committee.

Sub-Committees with leadership commitment: The company formed
six sub-committees to cover Safety Rules & Procedures, Safety
Observation & Audit, Incident Investigation, Capability
Development and Communication, Safety in Transportation and
Distribution, and Contractor Safety Management. Each sub-committee
was led by a senior management team.

Process Safety Management implementation: As a part of Process
Safety Management (PSM), the manufacturing process is routed through
a 14-element wheel to address risks qualitatively and
quantitatively. In addition, the company drives control mechanisms
to mitigate safety issues.

Measurement procedures: The team developed systematic
procedures and measurement metrics including safety perception
survey, data analysis, and field visits to assess current
state.

With this comprehensive strategic process, Aditya Birla Chemicals
has been successful in involving all work force including and support
functions in safety activities- both on the job and off the job
Moreover, by addressing Operational and behavioral aspects of safety,
the Chemicals Business was able to reduce injury rates by nearly 40
percent at the four sites between 2012 and 2013.

Benefits

Average Loss Time Injury Rate reduced by nearly 40% at 4
Sites

Improved productivity and reduced potential
hazards in logistics -In line with the safety principle of
“Management is committed to provide safe working and operating
environment", the company worked to provide movable conveyors
to unload salt bags, which were previously lifted manually by the
workers. The introduction of conveyor belt has helped prevent
incidence of falling salt bags on the workers and has improved their
condition. Similar loading/unloading conveyor belts have now been
procured for other products. Automation in stabilized bleaching
powder filling area has significantly reduced dust hazard, which
will help in improving productivity and reducing non-compliance to
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Cherry pickers and man lifts
have been extensively used to reduce the risk of working at
height.

Enhanced Operational performance with
Operational discipline and equipment design - According to Dr. Bir
Kapoor, Unit Head of Indian Rayon, Veraval, bursting of spinning
pots was one of the biggest challenges at the site.0n an average 7-8
pots used to burst per day in 2011 and injury was a matter of
chance. This also meant loss of production related to that pot. To
address this challenge at the plant, DuPont worked with the
Chemicals Business to improve Operational discipline of using PPEs
and protection devices. DuPont also worked with the team to devise
engineering solutions by developing a new spinning pot made from
DuPont polymer. By introducing engineering solutions and changing
behavioral aspects through right trainings, Aditya Birla Chemicals
Business has been able to reduce injuries at the Verava site,
leading to safer working conditions and improved productivity.

Improved working conditions for workers - There is a visible
change at the salt unloading area In the working style and people's
attitude towards safety at the Rehla site. Workers are more
cognizant of safety risks and demonstrate safe behavior, which
includes wearing proper coveralls while at work. Contractors openly
talk about their safety concerns with senior managers at morning
toolbox talk at Nagda site. The company believes a safer and
improved working environment has resulted in greater retention of
employees. The management believes that this trend will encourage
prospective employees to consider jobs at the company.

Continuing the journey towards “Shunya”

Continuing the journey towards 'Shunya' incidents, Aditya Birla
Chemicals management is working actively with DuPont to improve
process safety. Given the inherent hazards of the chemicals handled
and manufactured, the company is identifying process hazards and
enhancing controls as the first step.

Further, there is a process of developing internal capability and
competency to enhance skills associated with process hazards analysis,
management of change and risk awareness thereby contributing to risk reduction.

"Integration of safety is paramount in our business approaches.
We firmly believe that employee involvement holds the key to establish
a safe work place. Hence It Is important that we ensure every employee
contributes to make this a sustainable cultural change,” said Mr. K.C.
Jhanwar, Managing Director, Abcil & SBU Head, Chior Alkali, India.

The Aditya Birla Chemicals Business product line includes hazardous
chemicals that have to be transported on some of the most dangerous
roads in India. The business has collaborated with DuPont to work
extensively with the Safety in Transportation and Distribution
Sub-committee (ST&DSC) to raise the bar for safety measures during
transit and material handling. In 2014, the DuPont team participated
in a 'Distribution Safety Workshop' at Bharuch, where all unit
representatives brainstormed on developing a standard guideline for
safety in the area of transportation and distribution. Consultants
from DSS took the company representatives through best practices from
across the globe and urged transporters to cooperate to help achieve a
higher level of compliance.

"In our journey of three years with DSS, we have reached a stage
where safety is imbibed in the DNA of the entire team. We have put the
process in place to ensure continuity of use of safe work practices in
a sustainable manner".

Mr. Lalit Naik. Business Head, Aditya Birla Chemicals &MDABNL

About Aditya Birla Chemicals

Aditya Birla Chemicals is a leading manufacturer of bulk and
specialty chemicals and viscose filament yam. The business is spread
across multiple manufacturing locations in four countries - India,
Thailand, Germany and China. The business is creating a strong
footprint in the chemicals Industry -It Is a market leader in the
chlor-alkall segment in India; at number two position in viscose
filament yarn and is the third largest manufacturer in the world in
sulphites. The Chemicals business has 14 manufacturing sites - seven
in India, five in Thailand, one in Germany and one in China.